


the promise of forgiveness

by BookRockShooter



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, M/M, Minor Angst, Minor Swearing, Post-Canon, Post-Season/Series 07, also it might be ooc but who cares? me but idk how else to write this out lmao-, anyway lance gives keith's gloves back and he's overwhelmed and ends up apologizing, based on the gloves theory yeet, but like that's a minor thing idk lmao, idk it's basically me self-projecting and also writing out a scene i desperately need oof, lance talks about keith's jacket like it was keith to hide the fact he missed him shhh, oof
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-06 18:33:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16392941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookRockShooter/pseuds/BookRockShooter
Summary: Keith gets his gloves back from Lance, which leads to an apology.-*based on the theory that Lance will return Keith's gloves to him, plus a much-needed conversation*





	the promise of forgiveness

**Author's Note:**

> and i'm back at it again with the oh-so-amazing titles and summaries lmaoooripooo
> 
> anyway ah here i am again with another klanceish fic yay lmao i missed writing my boys,,,
> 
> sooo i started writing this a few weeks ago and only finished it tonight when i was hit with some type of inspiration ig? also it's keith's bday and i wanted to write _something_ today so yeah here's this oof
> 
> one of my favorite s8 theories is that keith gets his gloves back from lance so ofc i had to write something for it,, and here's what happened lmao. i also really want to see keith apologize for the attitude he had most of s7 that i hope gets explained in s8,,, dreamworks blease-
> 
> anyway i quite like this actually, even tho the ending's kinda _meh_ , but,, eh oh well lmao
> 
> so yeah, i hope this is enjoyable to at least somebody! i love my boys and This Is What They Deserve so i hope any readers (new and old, if any of you have seen my previous fics) like it! yay
> 
> happy reading!

It doesn’t take Keith too long to move into his new Garrison room. All he has to his name is his knife, at this point, and it takes him only one trip from his lion to get the weapon into his room. He can’t help but feel kind of dejected by that, actually. He doesn’t even have a change of _clothes_ , just his new Garrison uniform. He glances around the room and then heaves a sigh. This room’s emptier than the one he had on the castle, despite the fact that it’s at least twice the size. It’s pretty sad.

He’s trying to find a place for his knife when someone knocks on the door. He glances up, startled, then sets the knife down on his bed. “Come in,” he calls carefully.

The door slides open to reveal Lance, and he’s probably the last person Keith expected. “Uh… hi?” he says, blinking, and Lance gives him a half-hearted wave, his smile flickering. He looks… sad. Keith’s not sure what to make of that.

“Hey, man,” Lane says, stepping into the room, and Keith’s suddenly thrown back to the last time he and Lance really _talked_ , when they were struggling with the lion switch and Lance’s insecurities were making themselves known. Judging by his expression, that might be the reason for today’s visit, too, and Keith really hopes not. He hates seeing Lance sad.

Lance clears his throat, the noise breaking the stillness in the room, and says, “Sooo… y’know how, when we were clearing out the castle, we were taking the stuff from our rooms, and you weren’t able to get anything cause you were, uh, busy?”

“Yeah,” Keith says, slowly, not sure what Lance is getting at. “That’s why my room’s so bare. I don’t have anything from my room. As you can probably see. Uh…” He suddenly feels awkward and he rubs the back of his neck nervously. It’s stupid, but having Lance in his room, seeing it in all its _glorious_ bareness, is sort of embarrassing.

Lance cracks a more genuine smile at that and Keith feels a rush of relief. It’s a welcoming sight. He doesn’t see Lance much these days, and his smile even less. It brightens the room. “Yeah, I can tell. Um, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get much, and it’s nothing that can make this room look more, uh, well–”

“You can say ‘nicer,’ don’t worry, I know it’s bad,” Keith says, huffing a laugh and crossing his arms. “It’s… yeah.” Then he frowns and says, “Wait, did you get something from my room?” At Lance’s bashful smile, Keith feels his heart pick up speed.

Lance holds his hands out, then, and that’s when Keith realizes that the black fabric looks very familiar. He feels his mouth fall open slightly, then he points and says, carefully keeping his voice neutral, “Are those–?”

“Yeah. I knew you wouldn’t be able to get anything, and I wanted to get something, y’know, so you wouldn’t lose everything. I wanted to get your jacket, but, um, I couldn’t find it, so that’s probably… a goner, um…” Lance takes a deep breath, as though steeling himself, and finally looks up to actually meet Keith’s gaze. His eyes look shiny, the same way Keith imagines his are. His face feels warm. “I’m gonna be honest – I hated that jacket for the longest time.” Lance laughs; the sound’s wet, and Lance sniffs before continuing. “But, I dunno, I became kinda… fond of it, I guess, while we were in the castle. I think I know why you liked it so much, now, despite how sort of hideous it was.”

Keith chokes out a laugh that sounds dangerously like a sob. “I– I can probably find another one, it’s no big deal,” he manages to say, bowing his head for a moment to subtly wipe his eyes.

“Yeah, I guess so. But, um, I’m still sorry I couldn’t get it. I was able to get these, though, and I hope– I hope it’s enough.” He takes a step forward, still holding out Keith’s gloves, and Keith finally moves, reaching out and tugging them gently from Lance’s grasp. They’re a little worn and have fold lines, but the sight of them has Keith blinking back more tears. He’s still staring at them when Lance speaks again.

“So, uh, yeah. I just… I wanted to give those to you. I know how much you like them, since you wear – wore – them, like, every day, so… yeah.” Lance chuckles a little and Keith finally looks back up at him, his smile growing and yet trembling with all of the emotions he’s trying to hold back.

He tugs the gloves on carefully and then flexes his hands, watching the fabric move with his hand and cling to his skin in a way that makes him almost nostalgic. “Lance…” he breathes, meeting Lance’s gaze again and holding it, trying to hold back the sobs that are still trying to escape him. This is… one of the nicest gestures he’s ever had someone do for him. “Thank you so much,” he says, letting out a quiet, disbelieving laugh. “And… I’m sorry, too.” The apology slips out, but he doesn’t take it back. It’s long overdue, and if Lance was able to go out of his way to do this kind thing for him, the least he can do is apologize for the last few weeks. “I… I don’t deserve this, but– thank you.”

“Wait, what are you sorry for? And why don’t you deserve it?” Lance says, sounding confused, his gentle smile falling into a frown, and Keith is surprised at that reaction, to say the least. He frowns back.

“Well, I mean… I’ve been a jerk,” he admits, shoving his hands in his pockets. It’s difficult to keep looking at Lance while he speaks, but he knows he deserves this. “I… I’ve been rude to you, and not a great friend, and you deserved better than that,” he continues, the words rushing out of him. Apologizing well is not one of his stronger traits, and usually he doesn’t care, but he suddenly wishes it was so he could give Lance a batter apology. “And- and the gameshow dream, you know, with Bob, where I said… all that, and–”

He’s rambling, he knows, but he can’t find it in himself to stop talking until Lance cuts him off with waving hands and, “Woah, woah!” His eyes are wide, startled, and his face is darker than it was a minute ago. Keith shuts his mouth and looks away, face burning. His first real conversation with Lance in – _god_ – years, and here he is, making an idiot of himself. Great.

Then Lance says, “I get it, man, it’s okay,” and Keith looks at him, shocked, his eyebrows furrowing at the words. “Not that I don’t appreciate the apology, though, as unexpected as it was, but, uh, I get it. You were under a hell of a lot of stress, with Lotor and finding your mom and all, so it’s– it’s cool. Seriously, don’t worry about it.” Then he smiles, and it’s so sad that Keith wants to hit himself for putting that expression on his face. “I forgive you.”

Keith groans and shoves his face in his hands. “You’re too good for anyone, what the fuck,” he says, and Lance’s startled, “Huh–?” gets cut off when Keith does what he does best – act on instinct – and yanks Lance into a hug.

Keith’s hugged only a few people in his life, none of them being Lance, so this is – this is both familiar and weird at the same time, but it’s mostly just nice. Then Lance wraps his arms around him in return, one hand on his back and the other buried in his hair, and Keith sighs into his shoulder, pulling him closer.

“I’m sorry,” he murmurs again, the words muffled. “You’re– you’re one of the most important people in my life–” He feels rather than hears Lance inhale sharply at that, but he just keeps going. “–and I should’ve been nicer, and I’m sorry, I’m so sorry–”

“Hey,” Lance mutters, the hand on Keith’s back now stroking up and down in a comforting manner, “I meant it. It’s okay. I’m just relieved you don’t hate me, to be honest.” He laughs lowly, self-deprecatingly, and Keith shuts his eyes tightly.

“I’ve never hated you,” he admits. He has no idea where all of these sudden admissions are coming from, but they’re worth making if they’re making Lance feel better.

Lance pushes his face into Keith’s hair, and Keith has never felt more at peace. “That’s good, then,” he murmurs, “I never really hated you, either.”

The words close up Keith’s throat, and he barely manages to choke out the word, “Nice.”

Lance laughs again, but it sounds much happier this time. “Yeah, it is.”

They stay in that position for a while longer before pulling away, smiling at each other in a much shyer manner than usual, and Keith blurts out, “Do you wanna stay and– and hang out for a while?”

Lance’s eyebrows shoot upwards, his surprise obvious, and before Keith can take the suggestion back so as to not further embarrass himself, Lance smiles softly, cheeks darkening again. “Yeah. Yeah, of course.”

They end up lying side-by-side on Keith’s bed, exchanging words in quiet voices and sharing small smiles. At one point, Lance takes Keith’s gloved hand, and Keith stops mid-sentence, staring at their joined hands. His heart pounds loudly in his ears.

“I think I’m starting to like these gloves, too,” Lance finally admits, smiling gently at Keith again, and Keith laughs softly. He squeezes Lance’s hand.

“I’m glad.”

**Author's Note:**

> there's that ah lmao,, it looks shorter than i thought but o h w e l l
> 
> also oof i kinda wanna do a series of fics based on the numerous theories going around rn (like the dream theory, the time-travel theory, etc) before s8 drops and destroys every theory lmao so if that's something anyone would be interested in lemme know in a comment! i actually have some ideas surprisingly enough so yeah lmaoo
> 
> anywayyy i hope y'all enjoyed this little thing! and happy birthday to Keith, one of my absolute favorite characters to ever exist <3 and thank y'all for reading, i highly appreciate it! <3
> 
> side note: have any of you seen those leaks? haha wild,,,,


End file.
